Top 10 of 2012: Musical Moments I Won't Apologise For

As TheVine hurtles towards 2013 and the holiday season, we've asked our critics to give us their Top 10 best music "things" from over the past year -- whatever the hell they may be and in whatever haphazard fashion they so declare.

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Recommending music is too easy. Instead, here’s a list in which I throw away any credibility for celebrating the good, the bad, and Lana Del Ray.

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10. A tear for Adam Yauch - RIP

The coolest Beastie of them all lost his battle with cancer in 2012, a loss felt not just in the hip-hop community from which he emerged, but by a generation of fans across the globe. With his gruff voice, stark concern for humanity and killer wit, Yauch (aka MCA) seemed invincible. For those raised on their music, his death left a hole. RIP Adam.

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9. Divine Fits

A Thing Called Divine Fits, the debut offering from this indie ‘super-group’—led by co-leaders Britt Daniel (Spoon) and Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs) – is one of 2012’s best releases. So no apologising for making your friends stay up ‘til 2am while you play “Baby Get Worse” on repeat. It’s for the best.

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8. Still adoring Radiohead

If you love a band, go twice. In Sydney Ticketmaster screwed up the on sale, but by the time Thom Yorke and co’s first tour in eight years rolled around in November, anticipation levels were fever pitch. They didn’t disappoint. With a frankly stupendous light show and enough old favourites (hello “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”) and new songs ('Staircase', 'The Daily Mail', 'Identikit') to keep you on your toes, Radiohead proved that spending hundreds of dollars to see one of history’s greatest bands is, in my humble opinion, totally worth it.

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7. Tame Impala – “Elephant”

Okay, so there’s no need to say sorry at all for this: 3:32 of stomping, mainly one-note psych rock from the future – or is it the past? Whatever: Kevin Parker’s inner world is taking excellent listen Lonerism to stages all across the globe. When I first interviewed Tame Impala four years ago they showed up in the office with no shoes and confessed a love of Sunk Loto. Sometimes barefoot freedom is the only way to go.

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6. PJ Harvey's Australian tour

“What is the glorious fruit of our land? / The fruit is deformed children.” Transfixing. Harvey’s theatrical, choreographed and dramatic live performance of Let England Shake – which I saw as part of the Sydney Festival in January – was to witness an artist without peer. Harvey barely spoke to the crowd, but her songs said plenty: sadness, sex, stories about loss and life. That black feather headdress. Check the clip of Polly performing “This Glorious Land” on her Vevo channel, and tell me you disagree. [Or read our review - Ed.]

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5. Muse – “Survival”

A gold medal win for over-the-top. But Muse are good sports, and seeing this is for the biggest sporting event of them all, London’s 2012 Olympics, as far as I’m concerned we all win. It’s like the song equivalent of casting Russell Crowe in Les Misérables. Take that as you will.